Nothing Ventured

by Kristen Luciani

  "That's really great. She's gorgeous." Mia flashed a sheepish smile. "I guess I didn't make the best impression, huh?"

  "She's pretty cool. I wouldn't worry about it."

  "Good. Can I get you something? Are you thirsty?"

  "Yeah, water would be great." Choking down some liquid might be just the thing to ease the rolling feeling in his stomach.

  She handed him the television remote. "Here, see if anything good is on."

  "Sure." He pressed his lips together and flipped on the television. Her scent lingered in the fabric of the couch, making him ache with yearning. With an inward groan, he pushed back his hair in a desperate attempt to refocus his craving. Hell, she had just been attacked. It wasn't the time for salacious thoughts. Keeping his mind clear was imperative, just in case he had to kick some ass.

  Mia returned with two bottles of water and handed one to him.

  "Thanks." His phone pinged with a text, and he jumped, eager for any diversion. "It's James. He wants to know if everything's cool."

  "Oh, sure."

  Chris shot off a reply and grabbed the bottle to occupy his hands. "I'm glad we got a chance to talk."

  "Me too." She folded her legs under her and settled back into the plush cushions. "Is this weird?"

  Weird? Not at all. Torture? Yep, of the worst kind.

  "Sort of. But I'll deal."

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MIA SHIFTED ON THE COUCH AND silenced a yelp. Damn remote was digging into her back. She grabbed it, careful not to disturb Chris. Her fingertips froze over his chiseled jawline, so tempted to touch him, to feel the smoothness of his skin, to comb through his tousled hair. Dragging herself away from the warmth of his body was sheer agony, but reality would soon be upon them.

  And then what? What the hell was the plan?

  She slid off the couch and tiptoed into her room, giving him more room to spread out. Whatever had transpired between them was in the past and had to remain there. Leaving him was the smart move, even though every inch of her being craved his protective embrace.

  Mia yawned and pulled off her leggings and sweatshirt, opting for an Avengers t-shirt. Standing in the center of the room, she stretched her arms overhead to relieve the tension in her muscles. Being with Chris was worth every crick and knot. She shivered, remembering how safe she'd felt with his strong arms wrapped around her…

  "Hey, are you okay?"

  "Oh my God, you scared me!"

  He leaned against the doorframe, looking irresistibly adorable with his rumpled hair, dress shirt half hanging out of his jeans, and sleeves rolled to the elbow. "Sorry. I woke up and saw you were gone. I wanted to make sure everything was under control."

  Mia's eyes widened. Shit! She was pant-less. "Oh!" A pair of pajamas lay nearby, and Chris snickered as she hopped around on one foot in a struggle to pull them on.

  "Don't break your neck trying to do that. My contacts are glued to my eyes right now. I can barely see two inches in front of me."

  "Good to know. Thanks so much for staying. I understand if you want to take off. I'll be fine." Swallowing hard, she quickly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Please don't leave… please don't leave.

  "I have no doubt, so long as you have your trusty pen. But I'm not going anywhere." He flashed a sleepy grin. "I mean, except back to the living room. Sweet dreams." He turned to leave, and the pounding in her chest drowned out any rational thought.

  "Chris," she whispered. In two steps, she crossed the room and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. Mmm, they were so soft. A tingling sensation erupted inside, racing up and down her spine. He gathered her close and hungrily devoured her eager mouth. Every caress made her body quiver with excitement.

  This was so bad. She had to stop it before things got out of hand.

  At least, that's what her mind screamed.

  But her body had another opinion entirely. Don't let him go, keep kissing him, don't let this feeling end… ever.

  She trailed her fingers through his thick hair, still somewhat crunchy with gel. He squeezed her tighter in response as her lips nuzzled his ear. The musky scent that teased her nostrils was intoxicating.

  Without breaking their kiss, Mia pressed against him and inched toward the bed, unable and unwilling to tear herself away. A moan escaped her lips. His hands stroked and caressed every curve. Her skin prickled under his fingertips, every last nerve on high alert.

  "Ahh!" Chris yelped, jumping on one foot. "What the hell—?"

  Mia looked down and giggled. "Sorry, it's Chloe's Barbie Ferrari. I doubt she has insurance. I hope you're not severely injured."

  With a serious look, he whispered, "Not enough to stop whatever it is we're doing here." The corners of his lips turned up in a sexy grin. He slid the car over with his foot and, with a gentle motion, laid her on the bed.

  She shivered as hypnotic lips traced a path down the nape of her neck, the coiling warmth of his tongue igniting her desire. With feverish fingers, she unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his broad shoulders.

  His muscles rippled at her touch, and he pulled off her t-shirt. Her head rolled back, chest heaving as he feasted on her breasts, taunting her with the alternating motions of his tongue and teeth.

  Pent-up emotions overtook all sensibilities, and Mia couldn't think of anything other than having him inside her. The events leading up to that moment didn't matter anymore. All she cared about was being with Chris, even if it couldn't go beyond that one night.

  She fumbled with his belt buckle, as if delaying another second would crush the moment. Her heart nearly stopped when his bulging erection grazed her leg. Oh yes! She clenched the edge of the comforter as his fingers teased and toyed with the drawstring of her pajama pants. Holy shit, one more agonizing second, and she'd yank them off herself.

  He tugged at the waistband with a playful smile and slowly lowered his face to hers. With his smoldering gaze fixated on her face, he peeled off the pants ever so methodically. She gripped the bedsheets in her fists, unable to control her lust, trembling beneath his hard body. Settling for anything less than all of him simply wasn't an option. "Chris…"

  "I'm going to take my time with you. I want you to enjoy every second of this." He lifted her by the small of her back and, with one swift motion, slid off her panties. Her breathing grew more and more erratic with each passing second. Those sinful lips were set on a determined path to her inner thighs, sending shivers of pleasure to her core.

  Powerful hands gripped her backside and tilted her upward, giving his skillful tongue full access to stroke her inner folds. She writhed on the bed, angling her body so he could probe deeper, setting her insides aflame. Screams that echoed around the room begged him not to stop. The quivering sensation was so intense it was almost too good. Almost…

  She opened her eyes, breathless, a blurry image of his self-satisfied smile appearing in front of her. "Is that all you've got?"

  "Not even close." He laced his fingers with hers, his tongue tracing a searing path over her flushed skin on its way back to her swollen lips. Good God, this man was absolutely addictive, and she was completely screwed.

  "What are you waiting for?" Her pulse raced under his heated gaze as he inched closer then stopped.

  "Dammit. I don't have a condom."

  "Really?"

  "It's not like I planned on this happening."

  "Do you want this to happen?"

  He nodded, transfixed. "Yes."

  She pulled herself up and grabbed one from the night table drawer. "May I?"

  His gaze was unwavering as she rolled on the condom. Her stomach clenched as he lowered his body into her depths, his swollen length stretching her, filling her, satisfying every wanton desire. "Mmm, you feel so good." His effect on her was staggering. He knew exactly what to do, what buttons to press. They fit together perfectly, as if they were meant to be this connected. Their bodies, slick with sweat, rocked in unison minute after euphoric minute.

&nb
sp; Mia threw back her head and moaned, every thrust bringing her closer to an orgasm that promised to be the most exhilarating one she could ever imagine. She opened her eyes, lost in his heated gaze. "Kiss me."

  His tongue dipped between her lips, encircling her own, unleashing all her conflicting emotions at once. She finally let herself go, and it felt… amazing. Toe-curling waves of pleasure traveled up her legs and throughout the rest of her extremities. She gasped for air, gripping him tightly as the rush swept over her body. Throwing caution to the wind, she gave her heart control over her mind. Tremors tore through her as his movements intensified. "Oh please don't stop!"

  The warmth of his breath made her skin tingle. He plunged into her, thrusting with increasing force until the welcome release consumed them both.

  Mia flung an arm across her forehead, her breathing jagged. "Oh my God."

  "Yes?"

  "That was so… wow. Outrageous."

  He fingered a loose tendril of her hair. "I think you're pretty incredible, too."

  She flipped over to face him. Jesus, what the hell should she even say? This couldn't possibly go anywhere, and they both knew that. Right?

  But she couldn't gather the courage to verbalize any of those heart-wrenching thoughts. Speaking them would just make them more real, and they'd already overcomplicated things enough. Deciding to bury all her issues for the time being, she kissed him. It was the only way to silence the words that threatened to escape and ruin the moment.

  CHRIS SQUINTED AT THE sunlight streaming through the bedroom window. He tightened his arms around Mia's waist, needing to feel her bare skin flush against him.

  Things had happened so quickly. Sleeping with her had been a mistake, for so many reasons. But everything about it had felt so new and different. He'd never had feelings like that for any of the girls he slept with… nothing more than pure carnal lust. But Mia… Being with Mia was a mind-altering experience. Last night hadn't been about sex. For the first time in his life, it hadn't been about satisfying his own physical urges. He was in love with a girl he couldn't have, and it was killing him.

  His contacts were cemented to his eyes, so he blinked quickly to loosen them. No such luck. Squinting, he saw it was only six-thirty. Tommy's memorial service was scheduled to start at ten.

  Mia shifted and nestled closer, letting out a satisfied little moan as he placed a kiss on top of her head. "Mmm, did you sleep well?"

  "Yeah, it took a while because of your snoring, but—"

  Mia gasped and rolled over. "I don't snore!" She covered her mouth and whispered, "Do I?"

  "You don't. I was just messing with you."

  "That wasn't very nice."

  "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

  She tapped a finger to her lips. "Yes, I guess so. Especially after what you did to me last night, four times, was it? How could I possibly stay mad?"

  Chris stroked the side of her sun-kissed face. So soft and smooth. Would he ever get the chance to do this again? To hold her in his arms and bring her more pleasure than she'd ever known possible? Could he really walk away, knowing she'd changed everything? "Good."

  Mia's phone pinged on the nightstand, and she slithered over to grab it. "Oh, shoot." She shot an apologetic look at Chris. "That's my mom. She has an early doctor's appointment, and she's bringing Chloe home in a little while."

  "It's fine. I need to go anyway." He grabbed his boxers and jeans and pulled them on. Standing in the middle of the floor, he searched for his shirt, trying to avoid looking at Mia. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd lived this routine for his entire adult life. Only one problem. He never gave a shit before. Things were different now, and flipping the switch wasn't an option.

  "Chris, I—" Mia sighed and picked at a loose thread on the comforter.

  He took a deep breath. Here it comes.

  "I'm really glad you came over last night. Thank you."

  His heart jumped. He wanted so badly to tell her how he felt, that he'd never met another girl like her. It became very clear to him why he'd rushed over the night before, and it was the same reason he knew he had to leave. Putting any pressure on her was unfair, especially in her current state. She'd needed a friend, and he'd been there for her. Period. No promises had been made, no expectations were held. It had been one amazing night, but it was time to return to reality. Except he knew, after that single experience, an existence without Mia would be meaningless, hollow and empty. Dammit, somehow against the odds, she'd captured his heart, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to reclaim it.

  "I'm just glad you're okay. I'll give my friend at the station a call today so you can tell Sean I'm a man of my word." He ran a hand through his hair, averting his eyes once again. "Um, I'll just grab my shoes and take off."

  Mia pulled on a fuzzy white robe and followed him to the living room, but he kept moving without a glance back. He slipped on his shoes, a deflated feeling settling over him. When their eyes met, he felt a rush of emotion completely foreign to him.

  "Are we… good?"

  A forced smile. "Yeah, of course. I guess I'll talk to you during the week?" He pulled open the door and hesitated, gritting his teeth. "I'd tell you to take care of yourself, but I think you'll be fine as long as you have that pen handy."

  "Thanks."

  Every detail about the way she looked was immediately committed to memory. She was so strong and independent on the surface, but he'd finally seen the vulnerability as well. He'd recognized it last night and felt it as he looked at her now. He wanted to protect her from whatever was haunting her, but this was the end of the line for them.

  "Bye." He slinked across the lawn and slid into the front seat of his car. For years, he'd escaped love and relationship hassles, only to get his heart pummeled by the one girl he'd ever wanted but could never have. Was life fucking ironic or what?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  "I'VE BEEN GOING OUT OF MY mind! What the hell happened last night?"

  "Sorry it took me so long to call. My mom just dropped Chloe off, and the last thing I wanted to do was rehash everything with the president of Alex's fan club."

  "Chris was desperate to see you. I was shocked he remembered me from that day at the park. When he heard something was up, he insisted on coming to make sure you were okay. I know you were angry at him, but I felt bad for the guy."

  A fluttering sensation erupted in her belly. Desperate to see her?

  "I'm glad it worked out that way." Mia pulled a mug from the cabinet and filled the kettle.

  "Why? How long did he stay?"

  "Well… he actually just left." A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She shivered at the memory of his mouth on hers… and everywhere else on her body.

  "He spent the night?" Jana's voice rose in excitement.

  "Yes. And we, um…"

  "You didn't!"

  "Oh, we did. I totally initiated the whole thing. It was…" She collapsed against the counter. "…freaking unbelievable, like nothing I've ever experienced in my life… or even in my dreams."

  "Oh my God. What are you going to do now? Did you talk about it? Have you forgiven him?"

  "Yeah, we're good work-wise. But what really can happen between us? There are too many obstacles, and it was so spontaneous. I'm sure he doesn't even want—"

  "Don't delude yourself. You should have seen the look in his eyes last night when he heard you were in trouble. He has feelings for you, and even though you're so convinced he's opposed to monogamy, something tells me he just needed to find the exception."

  "I don't know. Everything is so complicated now." Mia poured the boiling water into her mug. "It shouldn't have happened."

  "But it did. How do you feel about him?"

  "It doesn't matter. I knew going in there'd be no future for us. I'm such an idiot."

  "Agreed, this wasn't your brightest move. What happens next?"

  "Honestly, I don't know. My heart broke watching him leave this morning, but everything about thi
s points to disaster. I just have to find a way to come to terms with it because Chris Camden can never be the guy for me."

  CHRIS SQUEEZED RACHEL'S SHOULDER as they left the church. "It's gonna be okay."

  "I know." She wiped her eyes and smiled at the girls. "We're going to get brunch now. Are you hungry?"

  Lizzie and Emma nodded solemnly. "Mommy, we really miss Daddy." Lizzie hugged her mother, and Rachel's eyes welled up again.

  "I know, pumpkin. So do I. But he's always watching over us, just like I said, right?"

  Lizzie pointed up to the bright blue sky. "From heaven."

  "That's right. We were very lucky to have him in our lives." She wiped her eyes with a tissue. "Where's Dad?"

  "He's with Jay. I'll get him."

  James clapped Chris on the back and pulled him away from the group of people spilling out of the church. "How are you guys doing?"

  "Hanging in there. Rach is holding it together for the girls, but I know she's hurting."

  "What about you?"

  "Let's just say it's hasn't been the best day."

  "This isn't just about Tommy, is it?"

  "No."

  "What happened last night? Why did you see Mia? What's going on?"

  "It's really not a good time. Are you going to be around later?"

  "Yeah."

  "I'll stop by the house, okay? Don't worry. Everything's fine." He gave Jessica a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for coming. It really means a lot to me."

  "Tell him," she urged in a whisper. "Don't be so quick to let this go."

  Telling James was only a small part of the battle. The rest of it seemed like certain defeat, regardless of how he felt. "Thanks. I'll see you guys later." He turned to his dad. "Come on, Pop. The girls are waiting."

  "I'm really glad for James. They look so happy together."

  "Yeah. They're a great couple. "

  "Why the long face? Did you talk to that girl? Have you told her how you felt?"

  "No. She doesn't feel the same way. I know that now."